Many electronic devices are susceptible to failure when they are subjected to an electrostatic discharge (ESD). The ESD is a high voltage pulse that is typically short in duration. When an electronic device receives an ESD, the energy of the discharge may destroy or degrade electronic components within the electronic device.
The effects of ESD are very unpredictable. Testing an electronic device for susceptibility to ESD involves subjecting a sample of the electronic device to simulated ESD pulses and then testing the electronic device to determine whether it has failed. The testing involves two steps. The first step involves connecting an ESD simulator to the electronic device and subjecting the electronic device to a simulated ESD pulse. The ESD simulator is then disconnected from the electronic device and test equipment is connected to the electronic device. The electronic device is then tested to determine whether it has failed, which determines whether the device can withstand ESD.
Connecting both the ESD simulator and the test equipment simultaneously to the electronic device presents several problems. One problem is that the simulated ESD pulse generated by the ESD simulator may damage the test equipment. Another problem is that the simulated ESD pulse is a very short, but high voltage signal. As such, it is very susceptible to loading that may occur by being connected to the test equipment. For example, internal capacitance in the test equipment or the leads of the test equipment may dampen the simulated ESD pulse to a point where the electronic device is not being subjected to the correct simulated ESD pulse.
Therefore, a need exists for simpler methods and devices for testing electronic devices. The methods and devices need to be quick, provide accurate simulated ESD pulses to the electronic devices, and leave the test equipment undamaged.